If all things had been equal for Elton Brand, and by equal we mean if the Mavericks had matched the money, the veteran forward would have stayed in Dallas.

Brand, who averaged 7.3 points and six rebounds in his lone season with the Mavericks, left for the Atlanta Hawks in free agency, signing a one-year, $4 million deal.

"Yeah, it would be a tough decision, but probably," Brand said when asked if he would have stayed had the contract offer been identical. "I didn't want to just pass through, but that's what it turned out to be."

Brand also added that the Mavericks made a nice acquisition with Samuel Dalembert.

"Sam's a good fit," Brand said. "I was telling him when I was here and he wasn't here that he'd be good here - being a defensive big man, he'd be what they need."